A common method of paying for parking a vehicle in a parking garage, parking lot, or metered parking spot (also referred to as a parking space) involves dispensing a paper receipt to the vehicle owner at the beginning of the parking event. In some techniques, the paper receipt (also referred to as a ticket, slip, coupon, etc.) indicates a pre-paid for right to park for a predetermined amount of time, and the paper receipt is displayed on the vehicle during the term of the parking. For example, a patron (e.g., person wishing to park their vehicle) estimates how long they will park, pays for a predetermined amount of parking time, is provided with a paper receipt corresponding to the paid for time, and displays the paper receipt in a visible location in or on their vehicle (e.g., on the dashboard or adhered to a window). Parking enforcement in such situations involves looking for vehicles that do not have a receipt displayed, and also looking for vehicles that have an expired receipt displayed.
These paper receipts, however, may be lost by the patron. Also, the patron may inadvertently fail to display the paper receipt in a visible location on their vehicle during the parking. Additionally, parking enforcement personnel may fail to see and/or recognize a valid and properly displayed paper receipt. Furthermore, the receipt is not weatherproof, meaning that it can fade, become damaged to due moisture, or blow away if used in an open vehicle such as a motorcycle or convertible automobile. All of these issues have the potential to cause a negative impact, such as a citation or towing, on a patron who has properly paid for parking.
Moreover, the aforementioned receipt systems require a patron to purchase a predetermined amount of parking time. The receipt typically indicates the start time, end time, and duration of the paid for parking. In situations when the patron leaves the parking spot prior to the end of the paid for parking term, the patron loses the cost of the time period that was paid for but ultimately not used.